We live in a world with about 7.5 billion people. Fifty-one percent of the global population are internet users. And 39% are active social media users. Numbers like these are what convince brands to use social media marketing and SEO.
Today, the two go hand-in-hand in any marketing strategy. If you’re still using an SEO-only strategy, you may wonder why social media is needed. Especially if your organic search is working well for you.
There is still a lot of confusion about how the two are connected in terms of boosting visibility, rankings and traffic.
For the most part – it’s pretty complicated. But since social media is getting a lot of traction with consumers, brands are mistakenly thinking SEO is becoming obsolete. Truth is, using the two together can yield great results.
If you’re considering adding social media marketing to your SEO projects, continue reading for more insight.
Getting Ranked in Google
We all know Google has a secret algorithm expert marketers attempt to crack each year. Some are successful, but only for a time. Google likes to continuously update its algorithm to ensure quality search results.
Out of the hundreds of factors Google looks at, there are two strong signals you can actually control. Your backlinks and content.
Whenever a person searches for a key term, Google examines the text on millions of websites for relevancy. If you can build a site based on the keywords and produce quality content, your chances are greater for getting ranked.
Of course, stuffing your pages with keywords will actually lower your ranking and penalize your site. So it has to be strategic and focused on the end user.
Your content should also have backlinks coming from quality sites within your industry or one that’s related. It’s also good for the sites pointing to yours to rank for similar keywords.
Do Social Signals Help?
Absolutely. There are direct and indirect ways social media can boost your SEO. As mentioned, Google loves backlinks. If you’re getting a lot of people sharing your posts on social platforms, these count as inbound links.
So the more you get, the more points you’ll earn from Google and the higher your domain authority will be. This is why it’s recommended to promote your blog content on social media.
Sites like Yelp and GoogleLocal are popularly used by consumers. If your brand is getting positive ratings and reviews, it can increase your website traffic. Customers normally look for social proof before shopping with brands.
So having this helps build your visibility, as well as your credibility.
At the end of the day, your site may witness a lower bounce rate and more repeat visitors. The key is to share posts that are relevant and valuable to your audience and the rest will fall into place.
Don’t believe us? Matt Cutts from Google says social does matter!
So Why Does Social Matter?
There are different ways you can use social media marketing in your SEO projects. The end goal is to drive more traffic and that’s exactly what social media does. Let’s review some of the ways it does this.
Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Site
Your timing, wording and relevance are key to making posts engaging. There have been cases where a single post could drive tens of thousands of visitors in just a few days.
There are about 1.8 billion Facebook users and 600 million Instagram users. The numbers are staggering and attractive to brands. And rightly so.
If you’re able to get the attention of a fraction of this vast market, you can earn yourself a boatload of traffic.
You Can Build Beneficial Relationships
Social media is just that – social. If you’re using it right, you’re making connections with both customers and others in your industry.
Building a relationship with the influencers in your industry can be helpful in more ways than one. For example, they can one day promote your brand to their millions of followers.
Imagine being able to periodically post content on their blogs as a guest, with a link pointing back to your site. The high traffic volume this could potentially bring is undeniable.
Social media is also the preferred platform for consumers to reach out to brands. This is the place they go to when they need to complain, ask questions and give raving reviews. Your quick response is important for creating loyal customers.
Paid Ads Can Boost Your Reach
Facebook offers one of the best platforms for paid ads. It’s highly customizable, allowing you to create campaigns that are more successful. You’re able to select exactly who you want to target based on education level, industry, location and purchase history.
Then the retargeting features are also great for boosting conversion rates.
Don’t Get Run Out By Competition
You can bet your competition are on social media. In fact, 91% of brands are already using at least one platform.
The last thing you need is your competitors taking your slice of the market. Rather than falling behind and playing catch up, it’s best to jump on the SMM bandwagon now.
Potentially Boost Your Sales
Ultimately, your SEO projects are all about generating higher profits. Social media is a great venue for promoting your products and services.
You can also use these platforms to find new customers you didn’t know existed. A simple search on Twitter for your product or service will show people looking for businesses like yours.
Improve Your SEO Projects with Industry Experts!
Online marketing can be very confusing. Why waste time trying to figure it all out? Instead, you can hire a digital marketing expert to assist with your SEO projects.
At Top Spot SEM, we offer consulting services to businesses in all industries. We can help you determine what moves you need to make next. Our goal is to help you reach more of your audience quickly and with lasting results.
Contact us today about our local and global online marketing services to start boosting your traffic!
